The day the announcement went out that Colorado State University (CSU) President Larry Penley was unexpectedly stepping down in the middle of the semester, retiring U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard telephoned Doug Jones, the president of the college’s Board of Governors, to express his sorrow. Allard, according to board spokeswoman Michele McKinney, also added that he was interested in the job. The media got wind of it, and the rumor mill’s been ratcheted up ever since.